


Adventures in Break-Ups

by bookworm03



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Break Up, F/M, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-09 02:43:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 12,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7783672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookworm03/pseuds/bookworm03
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nothing exceptional is happening at Indiana University that night, until a cute, blonde high school senior shows up at Ben's door.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Need

**Author's Note:**

> This was something that started on tumblr and I received a request to move it here so people could keep the chapters straight. I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Comments and kudos are amazing and always make my day.

“Ben, I’m sad.” 

She looks it. She’s standing at his dorm, wearing a hoodie that’s way too big for her with glassy eyes. He’s not even sure how she got in here at 10PM without someone signing her in, but he’d bet anything Leslie had cajoled someone at the front desk with a dazzling smile she shouldn’t have it in her to give. 

That’s what happens when your boyfriend’s mom calls you to break up with you for them. That’s what sends you from Pawnee to Bloomington on a whim. 

Most high school seniors would tremble at the thought of appearing inside a college dorm room alone…not Leslie Knope.  

He honestly didn’t even know they were friends like this. Yes, they talked on the phone a few times and emailed regularly and yes, they’d served on Student Council together when he was the president and she was just a freshman rep. Yes, she wrote him a six page yearbook message about how much she’d miss him and how he’d taught her so much about DC vs. Marvel and what a wonderful person he was, but…

He didn’t know they were _show up at his door two hours after he says they’ll talk about it they next time they see each other_  friends…

He meant at Thanksgiving in two weeks, when their paths inevitably crossed. 

He glances behind him even though he’s knows the room is empty. That’s one of the benefits of being an R.A. 

“How did you get here?” 

“I took my mom’s car. She’s out with friends.” 

He must be fidgeting nervously, because Leslie’s cheeks suddenly turn red. 

“Crap, I shouldn’t have…you didn’t mean for me to…crap on a…” 

“Leslie, it’s okay.” 

“No, it’s not. You didn’t ask me to come here, you didn’t mean for me to…crap, crappity crapper…ugh, I feel so stupid. I feel so stupid today,” she starts to turn away, but he grabs her wrist. 

“Come inside.” 

She protests weakly, but Ben steers through the doorway. It clicks shut behind them and Leslie inhales sharply. 

They’ve never been alone like this before, certainly not in a bedroom.

“Have a seat.” 

She chooses the chair over the bed, so Ben perches on the edge of his mattress. 

“What are you wearing?” 

The redness in her cheeks deepens and Ben realizes he’s an idiot for asking. 

“Take it off.” 

“What - ”

“He’s a dumbass. Take off his dumbass sweater.” 

Leslie giggles like what he said was actually funny and not lame. She says something about it being chilly and Ben’s instantly on his feet, rifling through his cupboard and pulling out the first thing he finds - a worn flannel shirt that will only be slightly less huge on her. 

But it does not belong to the dumbass that broke up with her and that’s a win in Ben’s book. 

She’s wearing a thin white tank top that does nothing to conceal the fact that she’s braless and her nipples are erect. 

His dick twitches and he curses himself internally as Leslie slips on his shirt and pushes her hair out of her eyes. 

“Thanks. Ann’s out with Andy and I sort of wanted a man’s opinion and I knew you’d give me an honest one.” 

“My honest opinion is he’s a wimp and a wimp can’t be the future first gentleman.” 

Again, she giggles, rolling up the sleeves on his shirt. He’s settling back on the bed when there’s a knock at the door. 

Ben grumbles, flinging it open and coming face to face with one of the stoner freshmen. 

“What’s up?” 

“The microwave’s on fire, dude.” 

Leslie gasps as Ben grabs his keys, spinning around to ask her to stay put while he literally goes to put a fire out. Leslie says she will and he races down the hall. 

He has no idea what will happen when he goes back to his room, but he’ll worry about that after the building hasn’t gone up in flames. 


	2. Broken

She feels broken. 

Only a broken Leslie Knope would do something as irresponsible as walk to a bus stop in the dark and spend a good chunk of money on a ticket to Bloomington. Only a broken Leslie Knope would fail to leave her mother so much as a note to tell her what she was doing. 

Only a broken Leslie Knope would seek out someone who could make her heart flutter by simply acknowledging her…who she clung to a little too hard the last time she saw him in the halls of Pawnee Central. 

Only a broken Leslie Knope would think this is a good idea. 

There’s a commotion in the hallway, loud music playing through the walls and thundering footsteps which she presumes is Ben and company dealing with the slight _inferno_  in the common room. 

There are a lot of sounds in a college dorm. There’s people laughing loudly, girls shrieking and, when the music gets just quiet enough, a lot of moaning and thumping next door. Leslie crinkles her nose, putting her headphones in and moving to Ben’s bed. 

At 11:08PM she calls her mother and leaves a message. She’s still out with friends as far as Leslie knows, so she might not even notice her daughter’s missing until the morning. 

She starts crying as soon as she hangs up, which is precisely when Ben decides to walk in. 

She’s broken, she wants to tell him. A boy she gave a lot of herself to didn’t even have the decency to end things himself. A boy whose fingers had been inside her panties and who had slobbered all over her breasts had broken up with her by proxy. 

“Did you call your mom?” 

“I left a message,” she sniffles as Ben sits on the end of the mattress and pats her ankle. 

“She’s going to freak out when she gets home.” 

“She might not even notice,” Leslie dabs her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt and then looks horrified. She’d forgotten it belonged to Ben and is making a mess of it. 

“It’s fine,” he waves her off. “Leslie, your mother will notice her car is gone.” 

“Her car’s not gone…” she slaps a hand over her mouth and Ben’s eyes widen. 

“You said you drove here.” 

“Um…” 

“Leslie!” 

“I”m sorry!” she throws her hands up. “I didn’t drive, I took the bus - ”

“Good lord - ” 

“And then I walked here from the bus station and it was pretty creepy, fine, but I’ll be going here next year, probably, so I have to get used to my campus and it was fine. I’m fine, see?” she thrusts her arm out like it proves something. 

“Oh god,” Ben scrubs at his face. “Fine, I’ll take you home in the morning.” 

“No, no no no, Ben, please, I don’t want to go home. Everyone at school’s going to know about this and talk about this and I don’t want to face them.” 

“He’s the one who should be afraid of facing them.” 

“He’s on the football team and I’m student body vice president, whose side do you think the cheerleaders are going to take, Ben?” 

She’d learned that lesson the hard way, when Daniel had tried to get her to cut class to make out and she’d told him cool kids make the rules, they don’t break them. 

Ugh, her locker would probably be toilet papered come Monday.

“Leslie, I have nowhere to put you. You’re going home in the morning.” 

She starts crying again and Ben groans into his hand. 

“Hey, okay, hey, listen,” he tugs on her ankle, dragging her down the mattress towards him. “How about you take a shower and we’ll watch a movie or something and…figure out the rest later?” 

She wipes her cheeks and Ben rubs her knee. 

“Okay.” 

“I’ll get you a towel.” 

Only a broken Leslie Knope would think visiting Ben Wyatt would cause her to feel less heartbroken. 


	3. Hurt

He hates seeing her in pain. 

He remembers their first student council meeting when Ben called everyone to order to talk about the school semi-formal. Leslie wanted to do Under the Sea as a tribute to Back to the Future and everyone rolled their eyes because _what would a freshman know_. She ended up getting outvoted in a landslide and then nobody asked her to the dance…but she went anyway and sipped punch and danced with her friends. 

Ben remembered watching her out of the corner of his eye for most of the night before excusing himself from his group and asking if he could dance with her. 

He remembered her blue eyes sparkling in the twinkly lights and her pale blue dress swishing as they moved. She giggled nervously when he released her and ended up staying with him for one more song before her friends came to collect her. It was time to go. 

If Cindy Eckhart hadn’t been hovering he might’ve offered them a ride home. Just to be nice. 

Leslie hadn’t been in pain that night, obviously she was having a fine time before he asked her to dance, but he’d still felt a little bad about her idea getting shot down. 

Plus, it was a good idea. He totally would’ve shown up dressed like Marty McFly and danced to Chuck Berry. 

Now, she’s definitely hurting. He leads her down the hall to the bathroom and listens to her sharp intake of breath when he takes her inside. Both genders are co-mingling at the sinks as they brushed their teeth, girls are walking around in towels and boys are shirtless while they comb their hair back. 

He takes her to the shower stalls and finds an empty one. He’s done his best not to notice her smooth, pale shoulders or her cute calves, but he’s only a human male and, quite frankly, she’s really pretty. 

Leslie steps into the stall, his too-big flip flops almost causing her to trip. 

“Are you okay?” He asks, depositing his shower caddy on the floor. She nods, eyes still wide and mouth hanging agape. 

“Yes.” 

“I’ll be right outside, by the sinks.” 

“Thanks.” 

He talks to Sheila and Anthony while he waits for Leslie, explaining she’s a friend from home. Anthony raises an eyebrow when he admits she’s only in high school, but Ben brushes him off. 

“It’s not like that.” 

When he hears a loud _Crap on a spatula!_ Sheila disappears into the shower area to check on her. She emerges a minute later with a grin. 

“Leslie didn’t bring anything to shave her legs.” 

“Why would she need to shave her legs?” 

Sheila gives him a knowing look and Ben’s throat feels dry all of a sudden. Leslie just broke up with her boyfriend. She’s not shaving her legs for him, no way. 

Leslie emerges dripping with his towel wrapped tightly around her. Her hair’s curling already and her blue eyes somehow seem even bluer. 

Yeah, fine, she’s really pretty. 

“Okay?” 

Leslie nods, lowering her eyes to the ground as she passes his shower caddy back to him. “Thanks.” 

She’s so withdrawn, so quiet, so un-Leslie-like. That’s how he knows she’s in pain. He pats her side, not letting his touch linger, and nods at Sheila and Anthony. 

“See you guys.” 

“Have a good night,” Sheila calls, reaching out to squeeze Leslie’s hand for some reason. 

Something flashes behind Leslie’s eyes for the first time all night and Sheila’s grin reappears. 

Whatever that’s about. 


	4. Wish

She wishes she was brave. 

Ann would tell her she _is_ brave if Ann was here. Ann would say she’s run for student council every year and _won_  even when Lindsay Carlisle-Shay warned her she’d never do so because it was a popularity contest. 

She singlehandedly took down the undefeated debate team from Indianapolis and got Pawnee Central a grant from the state in doing so. 

She organized a clean up of local parks that far surpassed anything the actual government had managed to do. And raised money for the animal shelter. 

Leslie Knope has never once not succeeded at something people promised she would fail at. That’s what _makes her_ Leslie Knope, Ann would say. 

She hopped on a bus to Bloomington to tell Ben how she feels about him - how she has felt about him for so many years…which is a brave thing to do, but now that she’s here she doesn’t have the guts to say anything. Now that he’s wrapping her in flannel and feeding her gummy bears while they watch Star Trek and he promises her ex-boyfriend is an ass every so often, she’s not brave enough to tell him. 

Because it seems like Ben might feel something too, but he’s always taken care of her in some way or another. It’s very possible she’s misreading the signals. 

She also wishes she was telepathic in this moment. 

Leslie rubs her foot against his calf and Ben squirms and rubs back, his lips twitching into a cute smirk as they continue to watch the movies. 

“Ben?”  she breathes when the clock strikes 3AM. They’ve barely spoken since her shower and she’s all snuggled and warm and honestly, could sleep exactly as she is. It’s like dozing off under a beach umbrella with the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. It’s blissful. 

“Mhmm?” he sounds half asleep himself, mouth hanging agape as he leans into his pillow. 

“Where should I sleep?” 

“Here,” he mumbles, turning into her and moving the blankets up and around her. “Gosleep.” 

Leslie starts to protest, but his ankle hooks around hers. 

“Justcloseyoureyes,” he murmurs, already half-gone. Leslie’s exhausted and it’s too tempting to curl down and let her eyes fall shut. 

So, she does. 

“Ben?” 

“Mhmmm?” 

She presses a kiss to his cheek and lets her lips linger. 

“Thank you.” 

It’s a simple phrase, but she means so much by it. Thank you for comforting me, thank you for letting me stay here, thank you for letting me feel important and spend time with you…

She wishes she had time to say more, but Ben’s already snoring quietly. 

There’s always the morning. 


	5. Truth

He awakens to a sudden chill down his right side as Leslie slips out of bed and pads over to the desk, fussing with her messy curls. Her legs are bare and Ben realizes it’s because her sweatpants are bunching at the foot of the bed. She must’ve kicked them off in the middle of the night. 

His stomach twists at the curve of her ass poking out of the tails of his shirt. Has she realized yet? Does she think he’s still asleep? 

“Hi Mom” her voice is hoarse, and only then does Ben notice she’s got his dorm phone pressed to her ear. He hears Marlene’s commanding tone through the line, but he can’t make out the words. 

“I’m fine. I’m sorry I worried you.” 

Leslie takes a rattly breath. “I know...I don’t really feel like myself either.” 

There’s another long pause and Ben tries to plead with Leslie telepathically to tell her mother the truth. His dad is the worst, but no good ever came from lying about stuff like that. 

“His mom called and ended it for him.” 

For the first time, a genuine smile appears on Leslie’s face. 

“Noooooo, I swear.” 

Leslie turns as Ben shifts on the mattress and her cheeks color. 

“I’m fine. I don’t know when I’m coming home though. I just - I’m in Bloomington.” 

She chews on her lip in a way that's confusingly sexy. 

“No. They have dorms you can stay at if you’re in high school. They’re doing a bunch of tours right now so there are lots of other kids here.” 

Okay, that definitely isn’t the truth. 

“One more night,” she exhales. “Okay. I’ll come back tomorrow.” 

Ben doesn’t know why, but he hates the thought of her leaving. Even if she kicks off her pants in the middle of the night and can’t stop murmuring about a affordable child care initiatives in her sleep. 

“I love you too” she sighs, setting the phone down. As soon as she does her cheeks color. 

“I have no pants.” 

“Mhmmm,” he stretches out an arm, snatching her wrist and dragging her back to the bed. She squeals and cackles, squirming against him in a way that makes his skin throb. 

When had this started? Leslie hadn’t even looked old enough to be in high school the last time he saw her and now...

His fingers brush the backs of her thighs, taking in how smooth they are after whatever Sheila did the night before. Leslie crinkles her nose and pushes against him. 

“Do you have class?” 

“I do,” he tickles her arm. “You wanna come?” 

He’s never seen her eyes so wide. “Can I?” 

“Sure, I sit in the back anyway. No one will notice. It’s Advanced Management Accounting.” 

“That sounds awful.” 

He grins. “I’ll buy you breakfast.” 

Is he hitting on her? It feels like he’s hitting on her and she broke up with her boyfriend twelve hours ago. 

She gets up, tugging on her pants as Ben tries to avert his gaze. 

“It better be good breakfast.” 

She takes her breakfast food very seriously. 

“Only the best for you, Madam Co-Vice President.” 


	6. Sampling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad people are enjoying this story! Comments and kudos are amazing and fuel my writing fire. I hope you like this next chapter!

She has a crush on Ben Wyatt. 

She got teased about it in high school, the other freshman laughing that Leslie Knope thought a senior would give her the time of day. She wasn’t a cheerleader, she wasn’t particularly good at sports and she didn’t make debate captain until junior year, so it wasn’t like he would’ve even picked her out of the yearbook…

But it felt like he noticed her. It felt like when he talked to her during student council meetings he was actually listening to what she was saying. He even helped her with her algebra one time when they were waiting for everyone else to arrive.

And last night she slept in his bed.

And kicked off her pants apparently.

She’s trying not to think about that part.

Ben takes her to the dining hall, where everyone’s congregating on a cloudy, crisp morning. Ben steers her through the crowd and she orders pancakes, that he pays for. Ben nibbles on a bagel and sips coffee as he teases her about playing footsies with him all night.

Her cheeks are warm, but she can’t force the grin off her face...especially when his toes nudge hers under the table.

Half an hour later, they’re sitting in the back a small-ish lecture hall. A few people give Ben a curious look as they file in, but nobody tries to sit with them, she notes. Ben pushes up the sleeves of his REM shirt and gives her a little shrug, lips twitching into a cute smile that makes her heart flutter.

“I’m going to be so bored, aren’t I?”

“I still don’t know how a person can dislike math. Numbers make sense, always,” he taps the back of her hand and Leslie nudges him with her elbow.

He remembers she doesn’t  _ love  _ math.

A man with wire framed glasses and a pointy nose appears at the front of the room, setting down a stack of papers and stepping towards the projector.

*****

It’s  _ so dull _ , but she finds herself watching Ben most of the time anyway. He takes the odd note, but mostly just listens, feet propped up on the seat in front of them and keeps his eyes focused on the professor. The man’s voice is grating and monotonous, but Leslie just keeps studying Ben and finds herself a little surprised when the class is over.

“Come on,” Ben stands quickly and grabs her hand. “The next one’s on the other side of campus and we only have ten minutes.”

Leslie starts to say Ben only mentioned having one class today, but they’re on the move, pushing through the crowd and darting out of the building. His strides are long and Leslie almost has to jog to keep up, perspiration collecting on her brow. They make it to next building with three minutes to spare. Ben grumbles about getting more coffee later and leads her into a lecture hall on the first floor.

It’s huge, so instead of staying at the back Ben moves her to the dead center of the room. 

He’s still holding her hand.

“What course is this?”

“It’s called Britain’s Road to Modernity. I think they’re talking about Churchill today. I asked...I thought you’d like to sit in on a history course.”

Her jaw drops open and Ben fidgets a little.  

“Do...we don’t have to stay. I just thought you might like it to take your mind off things.”

His brown eyes dart across her face and a lump starts to form in the back of her throat.

He did that for her. To make her feel better.

Forget a crush, she might full on be in love with Ben Wyatt. 


	7. Tipsy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter for this Thursday morning, because why not!

“No.” 

Leslie pouts, but it only serves to remind him why this is a really bad idea.

“She wants the college experience,” Sheila states. “ _ Plus _ , Rebecca is going to be there and don’t you want to - ”

“Goodnight!” Ben tries to close her door on her, but Sheila pushes it back.

“Leslie might be coming here next year. Give Leslie the college experience.”

“She got the college experience already - ”

“Ugggggh, you’re such a spoilsport,” Sheila throws up her hands. “If you’re not coming, I’ll take Leslie with me.”

Leslie’s eyes bulge and she turns to Ben quickly. He can’t tell if it’s because she would feel disloyal going without him or because she doesn’t want to go without him.

And he doesn’t want her to feel either of those things.

“Fiiiiiine,” he groans into his hand. “We’ll go for a little while - ”

“YAY!” Both girls cheer and hug him quickly. Leslie starts to ask something about a dress code and needing a colorful scarf, but Sheila just grabs her hand and drags her to the door.

“We’ll find you something that fits” she declares, motioning to Ben’s shirt that Leslie’s pushed up the sleeves of.

Leslie returns twenty minutes later in a loose fitting tank top and snug jeans. Ben’s sitting on his bed, flipping through a graphic novel and she comes right up to him and settles against his side.

His breath hitches. She still smells like lemons.

She’s Leslie Knope, the cute freshman rep who was always making eyes at him and whose face seemed to light up whenever he walked into a room. Leslie Knope who always had great ideas and he enjoyed talking to even when his friend’s cried  _ she’s just a freshman _ .

He was seventeen and dumb enough to care about stuff like that.

Leslie Knope whose six page yearbook comment he still re-reads when he’s doubting himself.

He reaches forward and thumbs her palm.

“Sheila says her roommate’s gone for the night and I can crash in her bed.”

Sheila’s forcing his hand like the pre-law monster that she is. If he tells Leslie to go it’ll sound like he doesn’t want her with him and if he asks her to stay he’ll have to  _ ask her to stay _ .

And then she’ll be in his bed and he’ll have had two to three beers and as much as kissing her sounds like a great idea when she’s hovering over him with plump red lips and pale skin, he’s not sure those circumstances are the best kind. 

It’s been twenty-four hours since her boyfriend dumped her in a truly heartless way. She’s still upset. He doesn’t want to kiss her when she’s upset.

He’d rather call her a few times after she goes home, hear her laugh some more and kiss her properly at Thanksgiving. Cup her face between his hands, let her hair slide through his fingers and press his mouth to hers...

“Well, at least you’d get your own bed” he hears himself say. Time seems to freeze and her face falls in slow motion.

“Right” she answers brightly. “That is a  _ much _ better idea” she jumps off the bed so quickly she almost trips. “I’ll go tell her that’s the plan and then we can go?”

She’s blinking rapidly, as if she’s fighting back something behind her eyes.

Yup, he’s the worst.

*****

He gets Leslie a rum punch and keeps his arm around her waist at first, which could be construed as him sending mixed signals, but it’s a wild night and she’s small and he won’t be able to relax if she’s not right beside him.

And he only told her to sleep in Sheila’s room for her sake, not his own.

He drinks two beers, watches Leslie go with Sheila to get introduced to some history majors and plunks himself down on the couch. He sees Rebecca walk in with one of their track athletes, waves at her awkwardly and gets himself another beer.

When Leslie returns to him a little while later Sheila’s looking apologetic. Leslie’s eyes are glassy.

“She had  _ one _ glass.”

Leslie climbs right into his lap and wraps her arms around his neck. Ben’s still holding a beer bottle and his other palm settles on her hip.

_ Good lord _ .

“You...you have nice face parts, Benjamin” she babbles, squirming way too much against him.

“All your parts are nice” he murmurs back and Leslie smiles slyly and shifts closer.  

“I had the biggest crush on you.”

“Oh, yeah?” He rubs the small of her back. “Well I have - FUCK!”

A very drunk guy comes crashing into the couch, spilling Ben’s beer all over them and knocking Leslie to the floor. She yelps and Ben jumps up, reaching for her hand and snarling.

“Dude, what the fuck, watch it.”

“S-sorry” he slurs. Ben sighs and Sheila reappears with Anthony in tow. 

“This might be our cue to leave.”

Ben concurs and Leslie has no objections.

*****

The walk back to the dorm is silent for the most part, though Leslie and Sheila do giggle at each other a few times. Leslie apologizes for the clothes smelling like beer and Sheila just waves her off. When they get upstairs, Leslie starts to follow Sheila to the right until Ben tugs her back by the wrist.

“Sleep in my room” his head’s a little fuzzy, but he very certainly wants this. He won’t kiss her, he just wants her in his bed.

At least, he’s ninety percent sure he won’t kiss her.

Leslie’s cheeks color as Sheila watches them with a knowing smirk.

“But there’s a bed to myself in Sheila’s - ”

“It makes more sense because all your stuff is there and I have to take you home tomorrow anyway, so…”

“I can move my stuff - ”

“Sleep in my room, please.”

He smooths his hands down her back and feels her shiver under his grasp.

“Okay. Let me just get changed first.”

Ben smiles as she peels herself out of his arms to hurry back to Sheila, blonde curls swinging down her shoulders.

Okay, maybe he’s only 80 percent sure he won’t try to kiss her.

Yet.


	8. Kisses in the dark

“So, how’s student council going?” the lights are off in Ben’s room. He did that so they could watch a movie, but instead they’ve just been talking. They’re in his bed that he asked her to sleep in, feet rubbing together and his fingers toying with hers. 

She’s lying on his arm. On Ben Wyatt’s arm. No one’s going to believe this when she gets back to Pawnee. 

Ugh, she doesn’t want to think about going back to Pawnee and having to face stupid Daniel. She wants to stay here forever in her wonderful Ben-bubble. 

Maybe Ann can come too. 

“It’s good, great actually! We’re doing Enchantment Under the Sea this year for the winter semi-formal, so I’m _very_ excited...” 

“Shut up,” he draws her closer, a glint in his dark eyes. “Awwww, man, I wanted that to be a theme when I was there.” 

“Well, you can come!” she stops as abruptly as she started. “I mean, it’s a stupid high school dance so you probably won’t want to, but if you want you can come and bring a date...you just can’t make fun of my decorations because you think you’re so cool and in college now. Email me and I'll put the tickets aside for you. It's on December  - ”

“Who are you going with?” 

Her heart leaps into her throat. 

“Um...n-no one, yet.” 

“Go with me" it's almost a demand. "I’ll drive down after class and we can go early if you need to set up or whatever. And I’m totally coming dressed as Marty McFly so you can make fun of me for that if I make fun of your decorations.” 

“You want to go to the dance with me?” she breathes, jaw going slack as his long fingers twist around hers. 

“I uh...” Ben chuckles. “I super would, actually. If you’d like that - 

“I would!”

“Cool,” even in the darkness, she watches his lips twitch cutely. 

“So...tell me more about...I mean, uh, was it...how are you feeling about...” 

“Daniel?” 

“Yeah.” 

Leslie shrugs. "It is what it is, I guess." 

“What uh...you never...why did you come here instead of going to Ann’s or...” 

“I told you, I needed to get out of Pawnee.” 

He arches an eyebrow. 

“And...okay, you make me feel better. You make me feel important. Not that Ann doesn’t, but sometimes it’s nice for someone who isn’t your best friend soulmate to make you feel that way.”

“You make me feel important too...you always did" his voice drops an octave. “And while I don’t love that you came here alone in the middle of the night I am really glad you’re here.” 

He takes a deep breath. 

“And I’m glad you decided to sleep in here.” 

“Me too.” 

They’re holding hands now, she smells the toothpaste on Ben’s breath and the anticipation is so strong it's like it’s crushing her chest. His face is so close she can see the pucker of his mouth...is he going to kiss her? He just asked to be her date to the dance and now he wants to kiss her? 

What parallel universe is this? 

“Do you wanna watch a movie?” 

“I’m okay.” 

He rubs her arm. “Are you warm enough?” 

“Uh huh” his hand drops hers and settles on her hip and Leslie can’t take it anymore...she has to kiss him and see what happens. She leans forward, brushing her mouth against his cheek. Ben smiles against her temple and Leslie shifts, lips landing on the corner of his mouth. 

Ben inhales sharply, but his head turns just a little. Leslie seizes the opportunity and pushes her lips into his. 

He pushes back softly after a second, mouth warm and a little chapped. Leslie tries to roll onto her back and Ben follows, holding her head in his giant hand as he dips to kiss her again. 

And then she starts crying. 

Ben sits back so fast he almost falls to the floor and Leslie tries to tell him she’s fine. She’s PMS-ing, her boyfriend's mom just broke up with her and even though Ben’s an amazing kisser it’s all feeling a little too familiar. 

He somehow makes sense of her inebriated ramblings and pulls her up and into his arms. 

"Leslie, it’s okay” he strokes her hair. “I get it, it’s fine.” 

So close. She’d been so close to full on making out with Ben Wyatt and now she's crying into his chest. 

She must say that out loud because Ben kisses her ear and promises they’ll make out soon enough. Her stomach twists at the implication, but before she can respond Ben’s out of the bed and doing something on his computer. 

He puts on a movie (Lady and the Tramp) and spoons her, arm tucked between her breasts and nose in her hair. 

They'll figure out the making out in the morning, she really does need some sleep. 


	9. A kiss because I have literally been watching you all night and I can’t take anymore

In the morning, she’s dizzy.

Not from alcohol, she barely had anything, but from the implications of what just happened.

Namely, the fact that she kissed Ben and then started crying almost immediately afterwards.

Her eyes snap open and she turns her head ever-so slightly. Ben’s spooning her still, arm snugly around her middle and calf hooked over hers. His eyes are shut, lips red and soft looking and his sharp jaw has a faint dusting of hair along the line of it.

He’d promised they’d make out.

She really wants to make out with him.

Ben squirms, eyelids peeling back slowly. His gaze is bleary with sleep and he sort of rolls away with a chuckle when he catches her staring at him. Her cheeks flush.

“Morning.”

“Morning. How’d you sleep?” he reaches for her hand and she sighs into his back. This isn’t reality. She must be dreaming, but pinching herself doesn’t work and she definitely can’t fly away.

Maybe because she really doesn't want to fly away. 

“Good” she must sound like she's hesitating, because Ben turns back to face her with a raised eyebrow.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to go back” _And I feel silly about last night_. There were probably a ton of college-aged beauties who would kiss Ben and not start blubbering in the middle of it. He could probably throw a stone and hit ten of them. 

Ben rolls back, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and using the blankets to cover his mouth.

“Morning breath” he explains and reaches for her hand. “It won’t be so bad, though. In a couple of weeks it'll be Thanksgiving and you’ll make your famous apple pie.”

“You’ve never even had my apple pie.”

“I have”  Ben shifts a little closer. “Once at a bake sale. It was amazing.”

She can’t see his lips but his eyes are smiling.

“And then we have the dance. You’re still going with me, right?”

“Uh huh” crap, she might start crying again.

“Cool” he twirls a curl around his finger and she holds her breath while he does. “What should we have for breakfast?”

“Whatever you feel like. And I’m treating because you’ve been so sweet and kind and wonderful and...just, thank you.”

The blankets fall from his face and kisses her forehead gently.

“I’m going to brush my teeth, don’t move.”

She almost swallows her tongue. Are they kissing now? Is that what's happening? 

Instead of staying put she goes with him, butterflies getting the best of her. He takes her by the hand to the bathroom and, after peeing, brushing her teeth and splashing some warm water on her face, Ben pulls her back into his arms.

He stares at her hard before he releases her completely.

This time when he takes her hand their fingers end up tangled together.

*****

Breakfast is over way too quickly and soon enough they’re on the interstate back towards Pawnee. The air conditioning in Ben’s car makes her shiver, but instead of turning it down he wraps an arm around her as he drives.

He’s acting like they’re together and she’s not sure what to make of it, but she definitely doesn’t want him to stop. 

“Oh my god!” Leslie blurts out as Ben steers them further south. He arches an eyebrow.

“I just realized I left Daniel’s hoodie - ”

“I’m gonna burn it.”

She giggles and Ben’s lips spread into a cute smirk as his thumb rubs against the side of her neck.

“You think I’m kidding, I’m totally gonna burn it when it get back. Unless you want me to wait for you.”

She giggles again and stretches up to kiss his cheek.

If they’re dating or something he might be the best date she’s ever had.

*****

Instead of taking the turn off Main St to Leslie’s house, Ben makes a left and heads straight for Ramsett Park. When he stops the car Leslie shoots him a confused look. Ben just shrugs in response.

“I wasn’t ready to take you home yet. Can we take a walk?”

Her throat feels tight so simply nods in response. Ben leads the way, steering her down the narrow paths and not saying much of anything. When they arrive at the edge of the duck pond he glances around and tugs her closer.

His breathing quickens as his palms come up to cup Leslie's jaw, pushing her hair behind her ears.

“Are you going to start crying again if I do this?”

She shakes her head rapidly. She’s been waiting for this all morning, all of the night before...since she was fourteen, really. All she's wanted is for Ben to want to kiss her. 

His mouth curves into an easy smile and he dips, sliding it against hers in a way that makes Leslie's stomach drop. She squeaks before she melts into him, hands moving to the back of his neck as his arms wind around her waist. His tongue flicks and she parts her lips eagerly, trying her best not to think about the fact that she is super hardcore frenching Ben Wyatt.

Ben makes a little noise of contentment and their noses bump as the angle changes, deepening the kiss.

When they break contact her lungs are straining for breath and Ben’s cheeks are flushed. Every muscle in her body is fluttering and the colors of the world are blurring around them.  

 _Whoa_.

And then he does it again. 

 Leslie has no idea how long they're there for, but about six amazing kisses later they agree she should probably go home.

He gives her three more soft pecks in the front seat of his car before she makes him promise he’ll call her when he’s back. She can demanded that now. They’ve made out a lot and she can ask him to call her if she wants to.

She sort of says that out loud and he laughs into her lips.

“I’ll call you,” he promises.

It’s only after Leslie gets out of the car that she realizes she’s still wearing Ben's flannel shirt. She can give it back next time she sees him...

And maybe keep sleeping in it until she does. 


	10. The aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you guys enjoy this next installment!

She falls asleep in his shirt. 

Her mother comes up and asks if she’s ill, but Leslie just hides her face behind her hands and tries not to smile, even as she gets told she’s not allowed to go out anywhere for two weeks.

Thanksgiving is in three weeks. Leslie agrees without complaint.

She goes to school the next day, picks up assignments from teachers who ask how she’s feeling (it’s only then Leslie realizes Marlene called in sick for her every day she was gone) and give her a sympathetic pat on the arm.

Ann yanks her into the bathroom before fourth period and makes her spill everything - which Leslie does, of course - but it’s Lindsay Carlisle Shay, her former best friend, that ruins it.

“Leslie, Daniel and I are going on a date next week.” 

It makes her stomach twist, even though she’d much rather be kissing Ben some more than seeing Daniel’s stupid face.

“I was going to say something before I said yes but he’s really into me and then we saw you making out with that guy in the park so I figured it was fine. Oh sweetie” Lindsay forces her face to contort into a grimace. “Did you hire a prostitute to pretend he was your boyfriend? That’s so  _ sad _ .”

Ann jumps to strangle Lindsay, but Leslie holds her back.

“No. That’s the new guy I’m seeing.”

“Sure it is. That’s why you ran out of town when Daniel dumped you.”

“It’s true” Ann pipes up with a growl. “And mind your own business, Lindsay.”

Lindsay rolls her eyes.

“I have a new guy and he’s in college and amazing and a  _ way _ better kisser than Daniel ever was and you’ll see what I mean when he does that slobbery thing with his tongue.”

Lindsay reaches into her purse for a tube of lipstick, reapplies it carefully and pops it back in.

“What’s it like being so pathetic, Leslie?”

Ann lunges again, but Lindsay’s already flouncing out the door.

“I want to rip her throat out.”

Leslie concurs.

“That’s so...she’s such a... _ ugh _ . It sucks that Ben can’t show up and start making out with you in the middle of the auditorium.”

Leslie feels her cheeks turn hot. She still can’t really believe Ben wants to make out with her.

“We’ll show her, Les. I promise.”

Ann, the loyal golden retriever, is really the best friend in the world.

*****

“Hey, you” he sounds so warm and wonderful, Leslie wishes she was back in Bloomington, kissing Ben and not thinking about anyone else. Especially not thinking about how stupid Lindsay and even stupider Daniel got caught by Vice Principal Lewis dry humping against her locker.

Ben knows instantly something’s wrong and somehow that makes it all better. Leslie tells him what Lindsay said in the bathroom, about Lindsay dating Daniel and calling Ben a prostitute.

“She makes me so mad I want to chop off her fingers and feed them to her dog.”

“Uh, wow” Ben sounds a little taken aback but also like he’s smiling cutely. “Well I’m not a kissing prostitute. I would pay money to get to kiss you…”

Leslie pulls a face and then giggles.

“I mean...no, okay, that sounded super weird. What I meant was that’s how great kissing you is - ”

She melts into her pillows and shuts her eyes. Ben thinks kissing her is great.

“I was still wearing your shirt yesterday.”

“I know. Keep it. It looks better on you.” 

Leslie smiles. “Anyway, how was your day?”

“Our heat broke so I had to wait around for the maintenance guy and he has to come back with another part tomorrow, so it’s fucking cold and I wish you were here to keep me warm.”

She giggles even though her heart’s in her throat.

They stay on the phone until Ben can’t keep his eyes open and he murmurs he’ll call her tomorrow.

“Don’t let them get to you” he reminds her as they say goodnight. “Lindsay can do whatever she wants with that moron, but that’s exactly what he is - a moron. You can’t date a moron.”

“I don’t want to date a moron. I want to date the brilliant, sexy nerd who let me sleep in his bed and kissed me in a park.”

“He wants to date you too.”

She sighs, probably happier than she’s ever been.  

“Goodnight, babydoll.”

She manages not to squeak at the endearment.

“Night, Ben.”

*****

“Leslie” Marlene calls sharply as she pushes through the door the next night after semi-formal planning committee.

“Yes?”

Marlene appears in front of her, still in her pantsuit from the office with a glass of chilled white wine in hand.

“You received a delivery.”

Leslie’s eyes widen. “I did?” 

“Yes. It’s been sitting on our front porch all afternoon.”

Leslie enters the kitchen, taking in a small brown box sitting on the counter, her name written on it in Ben’s sharp handwriting. She tears through the tape with the help of a kitchen knife and reveals a soft package wrapped in white tissue paper. It’s a red scarf, covered in Hoosiers logos with a piece of paper stuck to it.  

“You’ll need it next year, anyway” Ben’s written. Leslie clamps a hand over her mouth to mask her grin, but Marlene Griggs-Knope is no fool.

“Who is he? This boy?” 

“It’s Ben” there’s no point in lying.

“Ben” Marlene purses her lips. “Ben Wyatt?”

“Yes.”

It’s a weight being lifted off her chest. Marlene presses her lips to Leslie’s hair and pats her shoulder.

“I’ll order the pizza and you can tell me all about it.”


	11. Kisses because I missed you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another addition, enjoy!

“Where’s your boyfriend, Leslie?” Lindsay coos, Daniel’s arm snug around her waist and settling on her ass. He gives Leslie a cocky smirk and sips his beer. 

"He’s not coming home until tomorrow - ”

“Because he doesn’t exist?”

“Because he’s in  _ college _ and he had a test tonight.”

“A test in how to be imaginary?”

“Fuck off, Lindsay,” Ann barks. Leslie rubs her loyal best friend’s back.

“It’s fine.”

“You’re right, Lindsay likes being sloppy seconds.”

“I hear Leslie’s the one who’s sloppy.”

Leslie’s cheeks flame as Ann threatens to bash Lindsay’s head if she comes near them again. Lindsay saunters off with a cackle and Leslie catches her letting Daniel push her into a corner to make out.

Daniel never made out with her in public.

It probably embarrassed him.

When Lindsay’s leg hikes up and their hips start gyrating Leslie pushes through the crowd and out into the backyard for some fresh air.

She misses Ben.

She doesn’t care that Daniel and Lindsay are trying to make her uncomfortable - or at least, she wouldn’t if Ben were there. It’s been three whole weeks since she saw him and though they talk all the time and he says he misses her more, it’s hard to really believe it when he’s so far away.

Which, ironically, is what she’s thinking when there’s a commotion around the front the house. Andy yells and a few people cry out, so Leslie meanders into the living room to see what the commotion is about.

Ben’s there, in the doorway. Windbreaker and jeans, his hair a ridiculous mess. His eyes scan the room and her heart flutters when they finally land on her.

He smiles.

“Beeeeeen” Andy whines. “Dude, come get a beer with us. It’s so good to see you! How’s college? Are you a doctor yet?”

“Not yet” Ben responds, deadpan without taking his eyes off of her. Leslie’s stomach clenches as he steps down into the living room.

“Ben!” she squeals and flails, even though he looks like he’s about to eat her alive. “You had a final! You weren’t supposed to be here until - ”

“I finished early and I wanted to just get here” his hand comes up to cup the back of her head and she whimpers until his mouth brushes hers. It’s soft, nothing like the kisses Daniel and Lindsay were sharing in a corner, but it’s the best one she’s ever had.

For a minute she just holds him, arms around his neck.

“How much did she pay you? Is it more for tongue?” Lindsay snarls. Ben rolls his eyes and takes Leslie’s hand in his.

“You okay?”

“I’m great” she is. She’s never been better. Lindsay can say and do whatever she wants.

“Ben! You want a beer!?”

“Uhhh, I think…” he checks Leslie’s face. “We might get out of here.”

Now, her stomach flip flops. Andy whines.

“Dude, it’s been  _ months _ . I wanna catch up with my favorite algebra tutor. Well, Sandra with the huge tits was my favorite, but you were definitely the smartest” Leslie pulls a face. “One beer and you can bone later.”

Ben rolls his eyes and rubs his thumb over hers.

“What do you want to do?”

“We can stay for a bit” her throat’s tight now. Because Ben drove all the way to Pawnee after an important test and she’s pretty sure it wasn’t to spend time with Andy.

And he wants to do what she wants to do.

Ben smiles and kisses her again, it’s a little wet and off-center, but it’s even better than the first. It’s amazing, especially when his scruff rubs against her upper lip.

“Leslie, do you pay by the hour or per sexual act?”

Leslie spins on her heel, but before she can retort Ben beats her too it.

“Hey Dan, does your mom unhook Lindsay’s bra for you or just supervise?”

Lindsay’s ears turn red as Ben tugs Leslie into the kitchen with a smirk.

She cackles. She can’t help it. This is what she’s been waiting for.


	12. Teasing kisses on every visible bit of skin.

It’s cold. 

They’re in the backseat of his car, wrapped in a fleecy blanket and Ben’s tongue’s in her mouth. One arm’s around her waist to keep her from falling to the floor and the other’s alternating between tangling in her hair and cupping her breast while their legs keep linking more around each other.

“Are you warm enough?”

“Yes” she lies. It’s late November and he doesn’t even have the heat on for fear a cop will see them  _ parked _ and give him a citation.

Which, okay, she sees his point. As great of a story as it would be, she doesn’t need her mother to know they were messing around at the top of Nipple Hill.

Ben kisses down her neck and Leslie murmurs.

“You’re freezing, aren’t you?”

“Only where you’re not touching me” she counters. Ben groans and nuzzles her neck.

“Alright, I’m taking you home.” 

“Nooooo. Ben. I don’t want to go home. Let’s go somewhere. I’ll say I’m sleeping at Ann’s.”

He leans back and lifts an eyebrow.

“Let’s go somewhere.”

“Anywhere” she squirms up to meet him. “I want to be alone with you. I wish we were back in your dorm room.”

“Oh…” he brushes a strand of hair out of her eyes with a single finger. “Yeah?”

“Uh huh.” 

“What’s in my dorm room?”

“Heat” she kisses his neck and feels him swallow under her lips. “Privacy…” her fingers dig into his forearms. “A bed.”

“Good lord” he whispers.

“I want to kiss you.”

“I want to kiss you everywhere. I have since that first night and I made you take off his sweatshirt.”

Leslie shivers as Ben pushes her shirt out of the way so he can press his mouth to her bare shoulder.

“Heat, privacy and a bed” his eyes dart up and Leslie nods eagerly.

“That’s what I want.”

Ben motions towards the passenger seat and Leslie shifts into it.

“Then that’s what we’ll do.”

*****

His mother’s house is on a quiet street just outside the city limits. She wanted more space to garden and with Henry and Ben away at college it made sense to downsize.

It also meant when the two of them came home at the same time they shared the basement while Steph got the second bedroom in the tiny bungalow. But Henry was sleeping at their father’s tonight, with his girlfriend who his mother would have never let stay in the same bed as him.

The basement has its own entrance and Leslie holds her breath as the door creaks open and Ben guides her down a few steps. The house is dark and they walk passed an alcove with some watercolor paintings and tubes of paint scattered on a wooden table. 

“What will she do if she finds me?” It sounds so dangerous.

“She’s not going to find you and if she does she’ll just yell at me. Dad’s not going to care once we’ve been together for a while anyway, but he has this weird idea I”m going to knock up someone I barely know and get child support squeezed out of me. He’s a romantic.”

Leslie frowns, because their sexy plans are starting to sound less sexy.

But also, Ben’s already planning on them being together for a while so that’s crazy awesome and makes her insides burn with desire.

“C’mere” Ben’s lips are on hers and she can’t stop smiling as he steers her around a corner towards a couch. It’s chilly in the basement, but not nearly as cold as the car was, and Ben sets to work converting the sofa into a bed. He covers it with blankets and climbs into the center, pulling her on with him. 

The kissing starts right away. She’s on top of him and his hands are in her hair and they say nothing for several minutes as they peel off layers of clothing away and toss them to the ground. Leslie sighs and Ben groans as she nibbles down his neck, moving her hand down his arm. He nudges her head out of the way and starts licking down her throat, sending a shiver down her spine.

“So, your test was okay?”

“Uh huh” he nips, rolling Leslie beneath him and rubbing her side as he suckles on her pulse point.

Her heart races as Ben’s hand moves to the front of her jeans. His fingers flick the button and he wiggles her zipper down as he reaches into her panties and  _ whoa _ .

She pushes him away.

She wants this. She swears she wants this, but now that it’s happening it feels too...fast.

Ben’s hair is wild and his lips are swollen when he looks up at her.

“What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing!” she squeaks. “Nothing at all, I just was thinking we have all night and maybe we should...I don’t know warm up a little first. Play Boggle or Jenga or….just so we can build the...anticipaaaation.”

Ben rubs his forehead. “Leslie - ”

“I haven’t played Jenga in ages - do you have Jenga - ”

“Leslie” Ben tugs on her wrist, pulling her back. “What is it?” 

The words are on the tip of her tongue, but she can’t find the will to say them.

“It’s too much” he deciphers. “Right? Too much too fast?”

She lowers her eyes,  but he touches her chin to make her lift her gaze again.

God, why is she so lame and in high school.

“Leslie, the last time I saw you your boyfriend had just dumped you because he’s an asshole and we kissed a little. This is basically our first date.”

She smiles and he rubs his nose against hers before their lips slide together.

“Pants stay on?”

She cackles and he grins, rolling her under him and twisting his fingers in her hair as his tongue fills her mouth.

Making out with Ben with pants on is pretty great and doesn’t feel lame at all, she has to admit.


	13. Thanksgiving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This idea was not inspired by a prompt but something I just wanted to write. I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Comments and kudos make my day! Thank you in advance for leaving them. You guys are the best <3.

She forgets everything when she’s kissing Ben Wyatt. 

She forgets the last person she did this with was Daniel, she forgets her mother’s waiting up or Ann’s expecting her call…

She forgets everything but Ben's lips and hands and tongue.

And she definitely forgets they’ve been sitting in the front seat of his car hardcore making out for twenty minutes until someone raps on the glass.

It’s his brother and Henry appears practically gleeful at the sight of them.  

“You gonna let her come up for air, Benny?”

Ben growls and releases Leslie, who smooths her hair down quickly.

“Dad sent me out here to get you because he didn’t want to see - and I quote -  _ any of that crap _ .”

Ben pulls a face, thumbing her hand.

“We’re coming.”

“Ew, save that for the bedroom...”

Ben attempts to roll down the window just to throw an empty coffee cup at his brother, but Henry’s already strolling back up the walkway. Leslie’s heart is still racing as she reapplies her lipstick and tries to straighten her clothing.

Ben presses his lips to her cheekbone and her whole body warms from the gesture.

She definitely forgets about everything when she kisses Ben Wyatt, including who else can see them.

*****

The tension of the room stays there all night.

It starts when Steve Wyatt makes an offhanded comment about Julia Wyatt’s peach casserole and his girlfriend, Ulani, snickers and Steph gets upset.

When Leslie passes on the wine Ulani tells Ben if the little one’s pregnant to make sure it’s his and Ben almost bites her head off.

Henry calms him with a hand on Ben’s shoulder and murmurs it’s not worth it. It’s sweet, the way they talk to each other in low voices and keep the other one level.

Thankfully, there’s an actual party planned for the evening and more people arrive and start chatting up the family. When everyone’s otherwise occupied, Ben drains his beer and takes Leslie by the hand, leading her into the hallway.

She laughs when he slides his arms around her waist and squeezes her butt.

“You wanna go?”

“We just got here.”

“I wanna go” he murmurs, hands brushing her waist until her insides are burning.

Their mouths tilt to meet and instantly the kiss is more than it should be. His tongue is hot and insistent and her feet move of their own volition, searching for a door to pull Ben behind.

Wherever they stumble into the dark, the tiled floor keeps slipping under Leslie stockinged feet, so Ben half-carries her. Her back hits something cold and hard, but Leslie barely notices as Ben tugs on her hair and kisses her harder.

She could kiss him forever, she’s fairly certain.

“You okay?” he pulls back, cupping her cheeks until her eyes open. The room is cramped, towels piled high on a shelf and a hamper in the corner.

The laundry room.

“I’m okay.”

Ben smiles, peppering small pecks down her throat before suckling the crook of her neck. Her nose lands in his mess of hair and she inhales deeply.

After tomorrow she won’t see him again until Christmastime.

That thought is quickly pushed out of her mind when he flashes his teeth, tugging the top of her dress down and nibbling across her chest.

Leslie whines without meaning to, aching for more of him and pushing her hips against his. She can feel him through his jeans and it sends another flood of need to her center.

She rubs insistently and Ben groans, sliding a hand to the hem of skirt and returning back up to her waist. His touch teases across the waistband of her tights before slipping down to her panties. 

Her breath hitches. It feels like forever ago since he tried to do this, when really it’s only been a few nights since she pushed him away.

“Is….” his forehead rests on hers as he thumbs the edge of her panties. His eyes are slanted down and he’s licking his lips like he’s thinking way too hard about something.

“Is this okay?” 

“Yes!” she practically squeaks. She wants him to touch her. Her body’s pulsing, twitching like she  _ needs _ him to touch her there. 

His lips land softly on hers as his fingers move further down, between her curls.

All it takes is a few exploratory caresses to know this is going to be different. She gasps at the way he ghosts through her slickness, whimpers when he draws a teasing circle around her opening and yelps when his palm bumps her clit.

“You’re...fuck...you’re so wet.”

She shivers and nods. Ben’s hand disappears and he moves her tights down to her ankles. Leslie can’t remember if she shaved or not at the moment, but Ben doesn’t seem to care either her way, hiking her leg around his hip and titling her back against the dryer.

He kisses her so hard her lips feel bruised as one long finger slips inside her.

“Fuck” he babbles as he circles. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

She’s tight. She feels stretched already and dizzy in a good way as he tongue presses against hers and his finger curls against her front wall.

Leslie moans, pushing into his hand as he inserts a second finger. Ben pulls back to rub her clit before returning, thrusting deeply and pumping in time with the roll of her hips. He clamps down on her neck and her head drops back as she pants and grips his shirt tightly.

He tells her she’s sexy and it makes the corners of her eyes prickle. Nobody’s ever told her that before. She’s never been sexy before and Ben Wyatt thinks she is.

“Ben” she cups the back of his neck as his fingers keep pace with her. He breathes  _ I know, baby _ and that, coupled with the flick of his thumb, is enough to send her over the edge.

She pulses around his fingers and moans against his tongue as he eases his hand away. Their foreheads press together and he rubs his nose against hers with a quiet laugh.

Who knew getting fingered in a laundry room could be so romantic?

He helps her dress and they wait until his erection subsides. Leslie starts to offer to return the favor, but Ben just shakes his head and wraps an arm around her.

Her legs are a little shaky, which only makes Ben grin and kiss her again.

“Pull it together, Knope, we got a party to get through.”

She forgets everything when she’s kissing Ben Wyatt.

And when he’s touching her it’s like nothing else exists.


	14. Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone had a nice long weekend! Please enjoy this latest installment! 
> 
> Comments and kudos are amazing and the best thing ever and make my day, so thank you in advance <3.

“Do you miss me?” she’s coy, teasing, and his stomach flip flops at the slight undercurrent to her tone. He hasn’t seen her in two long weeks, not since his father’s Thanksgiving weekend party. They’d fooled around in his laundry room and at the end of the night, in her driveway before he finally walked her to the door.

Her mother had been there to greet them, looking like she knew exactly what had gone down.

The biggest downside to Leslie being in high school is that she’s still a hundred plus miles away and he can’t see her anytime he wants.

And fine, a few people from the former Pawnee Central student council have emailed him, teasing him about having run out of _college pussy_ already and having to lower his standards even more than usual.

Henry, shockingly, is supportive. He told Ben to ignore them, that in a few years the age gap would mean nothing and Leslie’s a keeper.

She is a keeper and Ben hates that he even sort of lets those digs get to him. So what if she’s in high school and probably a virgin…

Not...they haven’t talked about that yet, actually. And it isn’t a big deal and he’d met plenty of girls in college who hadn’t had sex yet and he didn’t care either way, he’s just not sure what _she’s_ thinking or feeling about him and…

Ugh, he’s way too in his own head. Talking to her helps. Seeing her helps even more.

“I miss you” he answers honestly. He misses her cackle and the way her breath hitches when she’s aroused. He misses her hips under his hand and the way she pushes against him insistently when she wants more.

Now, he can hear the smile in her voice.

“I miss you more. I can’t wait to see you.”

“Oh, yeah?” he stretches back on his bed. “What are you going to do when you see me?”

“Kiss you so hard it hurts...okay, that sounded way sexier in my head.”

He grins.

“It sounded sexy to me.”

She giggles and then sighs. “Ugh, Ben, Christmas is so far away.”

“Ugh, I know, I can’t wait to see you.”

“What…” she gulps audibly. “What are you going to do when you see me?”

It’s Ben’s turn to gulp.

“Uh...w-well, I...I keep thinking about that tank top you were wearing the night you came here.”

Her breath definitely hitches and Ben bites back a groan.

“And I...I wanted to kiss you...every inch of you. Your neck, your shoulders, your stomach…”

“Ben…” it comes out with a tinge of desperation, so he presses on.

“I want...I want you to make that...I want to feel you come again...around my fingers.”

She squeaks.

“Uh-uh huh.”

“A-and...if you wanted, we could do more stuff.”

“Y-yes.”

“Yes?”

“I want to.”

A growl escapes his throat.

“B-Ben?”

“Mhmm?”

“Are you touching yourself too?”

 _Good lord_ she's going to kill him.

*****

He’s studying (sort of, REM is playing in the background and the small TV he got last Christmas is on in the corner, but his books are open) when there’s a knock at his door.

He glances at the clock, making a point to note that quiet hours have not started yet so he can tell the overly eager freshman who is inevitably on the other side of the door to chill out at the noise in the kitchen.

The words are halfway out of his mouth when he turns the knob and there’s Leslie, in his flannel shirt and jeans, her white tank top poking out of the neckline. Her hair’s loose and curly and her eyes are sparkling.

“Uh...hi?”

“Is this a bad time?”

How the hell does she keep getting in here?

“What are you doing here?”

“Christmas is too far away, I wanted to see you...” her cheeks flame. “Oh god, am I interrupting? I knew I should’ve asked first…”  

He yanks her inside and pulls her into his arms, smoothing kisses all over her neck until she giggles and he finally finds her lips.

“Hi” she tastes like she’s been munching M&Ms and he presses his mouth even harder. “I wanted to see you.”

“Please tell me you drove and your mom knows you’re here.”

“She thinks I’m sleeping in a girl’s room though.”

Ben grins, sliding his hand into her hair and moving her away from the door. He deposits her on the bed and Leslie squeals as he climbs over her.

“I assumed I could spend the night.”

“Oh, you’re spending the night” he licks down her throat and undoes some buttons.

“And tomorrow night. And the next night - I’m kidnapping you.”

She giggles and tugs on his hair until their lips meet and her tongue fills his mouth. He pulls back to stroke her hair.

“How goes the studying?”

“Alright” he stretches up to turn down the stereo. “How goes the dance planning?”

“I got my dress.”

Ben smiles. “Yeah?”

“Uh huh” she rolls onto her back and yanks on his head until his lips are against her shoulder. “And you’re supposed to be kissing me everywhere.”

He groans, lifting his head as his thumbs run over her hips.

“Can I take these off?” he tugs on one belt loop of her jeans and Leslie’s nose crinkles cutely.

“Uh huh.”

He wastes no time peeling them down her legs and tossing them to the floor. His lips brush her knee on the way back up to her stomach. Leslie arches deeply as he breathes against her and when his tongue dips into her bellybutton she squeals and pushes up into him.

“Am I distracting you from studying?”

He smacks her hip playfully and nips at her side. He knows she’s grinning even if he can’t see her.

“Remember Dave?” she asks suddenly. Ben nibbles across her ribcage as he bunches her tank top to the end of her breasts. Her panties are hot pink and he almost makes her turn around so he can stare at her butt in them for a while.

“Dave who?” 

“Sanderson. He graduated the same year as you…”

Ben stills, sitting back on his knees.

“Yes.”

“He’s at the police academy now.”

“Right.”

“You remember him?” 

“Yes. He’s the one who had a crush on you.”

Leslie’s cheeks flamed. “He didn’t - ”

“Uh, he did.”

“He was a senior - ”

“So was I - ”

“And you didn’t have a crush on me! You were hot for Cindy Eckhart because she had boobs and I was just a freshman.”

Ben pinches the bridge of his nose and pats her thigh, still on his knees between her legs.

“Alright, what about Dave?” 

“Never mind. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Leslie - ”

“Fine! I just heard you were getting a lot of crap for dating me and I wanted to make sure you still wanted to!”

For some reason, that makes him smile.

“Ben” she smacks his leg. “Don’t laugh! This is serious! I like you a lot and if you’re embarrassed to date me I need you to tell me now!”

He chuckles and Leslie whines.

“Beeeeen. It’s not a joke!”

“Leslie” he takes her hands and pulls so she’s sitting up with him. “I’m crazy into you. Let them say what they want.”

Her frown fades and he cups her face between his hands, kissing her back into the pillows through a silly smile.

“You’re crazy into me?”

“Yes and I’m pretty sure you know that” he counters, pulling her leg over his hip and kissing her slowly. For a while they do nothing else, just slide lips and tongues together with their limbs wrapped around each other and their noses rubbing.

He groans when there’s a knock at the door, grateful his jeans are thick enough to conceal his growing erection. Leslie stays where she is as he peels himself out of her embrace and goes to answer it.

“AMBER PUT A SCRUNCHIE ON THE DOOR!” Carla shrieked, mascara smeared down her face. “I have biology in _three days_ and she thinks she can kick me out of my own room to have _sex_? Ben, do something!”

Oh god, he did not sign up for this part of being an R.A.

“Can...did you try talking to Kim about it?” His female counterpart is better equipped for stuff like this anyway.

“It’s her night off! She’s out with that dude.”

Fuck, right.

Carla’s eyes dart towards his bed.

“Are you seriously dating a high school chick?”

“Out” Ben pushes her back into the hall. “I’ll be there in a minute, go study in the common room.”

“Do you know how _loud_ it is in there?”  

“Fine, go wait by the door, I’ll be there in a minute. You’re not going to learn anything in a minute anyway.”

Carla rolled her eyes as she threw up her hands and stalked off.

“Leslie, I’m sorry - ”

“It’s fine” she rubs his arm when he comes back to the bed. “We can finish our make-up-make-out later?”

He chuckles. “Were we fighting?”

“Close enough” she kisses him softly. “I’ll be here. Without pants on.”

Ben grunts and nods, forehead pressed against hers.

“Incentive for you to return” she explains cheekily. He palms her thigh, letting his fingers ghost across the front of her panties before pulling away completely.

Like he needs any incentive.


	15. Everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy weekend! Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoy!

She wants to have sex with Ben. 

She really, really does. 

But they barely see each other and things are relatively new and she can’t help but remember what happened with Daniel. How two weeks after he got her to... _ with her mouth _ he had his mom dump Leslie.

So, Leslie really does want to do all there is to do with Ben, but she also doesn’t want to wake up the next morning feeling violated and not like herself because she pushed too much too fast. She reminds herself that Ben seems to be in it for the long haul and even if they don’t do it tomorrow, or that weekend, they still like each other a lot.

But it’s hard.

It’s hard when they’re making out on his bed and his hands are roaming everywhere, riling her up in a way that makes Leslie’s whole body burn and ache and want more. It’s hard when he tastes like whipped cream and sunshine and kissing him is the greatest moment of her entire life…

He’s not pushing her, not in the slightest, but she can feel it in the way he grinds down against her he wants more too.

They go to another party her second weekend at IU and Leslie convinces him to dance with her. It’s when they’re doing that and he’s nuzzling her ear and telling her how much he likes her that Leslie can’t take it anymore. Her hormones are raging and she wants to touch him and taste him and feel him come undone against her. She wants to take him over the edge while he pulses between her lips.

She may not be  _ quite _ ready for sex yet, but she’s definitely ready for more of Ben Wyatt.

“Ben” she whispers against his neck. He hears her, miraculously, his hand slipping down her back and grazing her ass.

“Yeah?”

“Let’s go back to the room.”

He frowns adorably and turns them in a big circle.

“Are you not having fun?”

“I am, but I want to suck your dick.”

She has no idea where that came from (maybe the three tequila shots she had when she arrived), but Ann Perkins would be proud of Leslie for asserting herself. Ben quite literally appears to choke on his tongue and Leslie drags him down for a slow kiss. He groans and pushes against her.

“Good lord.”

She cups his cheeks and kisses him deeply. Ben growls into her mouth and for a few long seconds they just kiss and grope a little in the middle of the dance floor.

They disappear to the bathroom before they exit the party and the burning desire overwhelms Leslie as she waits for her boyfriend to finish up.

Ben’s just emerging when she pushes him into the counter and locks the door behind her. He stutters.

“Uh, what’s happening?”

“I changed my mind, I can’t wait until we get back to the room.”

A low noise escapes Ben’s throat as she drops to her knees, his hand tangled in her hair. He might ask if she’s sure, but Leslie can’t be certain. Once she gets her first lick of him she can’t think about anything else.

She wants to do everything there is to do with Ben Wyatt, but for now this moment is perfect.


End file.
